I'm Part of this Illusion
by lilabut
Summary: Bella chose Jacob after the battle and as life slowly settles for them, Jacob already has plans for their future.


I was given the following prompt: _Bella chooses Jacob, and he proposes to her. Maybe sometime after he recovers from the Eclipse battle?_

This is the result.

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**I. a m. a. p a r t. o f. t h i s. i l l u s i o n, t o. w h i c h. n e w. f e e l i n g. d o. w e. g o ?

There is a calm in the rush of your stare  
And I'm now beyond care  
Experience being gained, we're back to back

And the spirit no name  
And the angels are hushing  
And they dance in soft shame

But the darkness has a hunger  
It offers you blood for wild blood

And you be on wondering  
Why you're still not good enough  
There is a glory in the pitch of your desire  
And a calm in my gaze as my feet are retired

**_Blood for wild Blood_**, Razorlight

Bella stepped back into the living room absent-mindedly, clutching the shiny piece of paper to her chest, her fingers fiddling with the sharp edges.

"You just missed the best part, Bells. The blonde zombie just got slaughtered with a hedge trimmer. Gross," Jacob said enthusiastically, his feet propped up on the table in front of the couch, arms crossed behind his back. "You okay, honey?"

His voice was concerned when he saw Bella slowly stepping towards the couch, her eyes blank.

"Yeah, sure," she mumbled, sitting down next to Jacob again, drawing her legs up and underneath her. She knew they would go numb within a few minutes, but she hated how exhausting it could sometimes be to let her legs dangle of the couch.

"Sure. And I'm actually an alien and Will Smith is about to break into your house to splatter my slimy bowels and then he's going to erase your memory with that awesome, shiny vibrator-like thing of his and you're going to live a very outgoing, excessive life from now on, Bells," Jacob preached, his voice balancing on the edge of humorous sarcasm and worried bitterness – thin as a hair – as he wrapped one arm around Bella's shoulder.

She laughed a short-lived laughter, yet snuggled closer to Jacob, curling herself against his side. His hand began to caress her bare upper arm, leaving tingling trails there.

"Alice wrote me to give you a hug from her," Bella finally said plainly, closing her eyes.

Jacob's eyes dropped to the shiny paper pressed against Bella's shirt and he saw the Eiffel Tower shining brightly at night printed onto the glossy postcard.

"The pixie is really keeping up a strong travelling schedule, he?" he asked with a grin, remembering the card from Greece that had arrived last week.

Bella nodded and dared to cast a glance towards the television screen, just in time to witness another gory zombie assassination.

She made a fake gagging sound and buried her head back into Jacob's ribcage, draping one arm over his warm stomach.

"You miss them," he muttered, his chin pressing against the top of her head, disarranging her hair.

"It's okay," she reassured him, kissing his chest through his shirt chastely. "You're here. That was the prize. And I'm glad."

"Happy?"

"I think so," she said with a grin, looking up to Jacob, the squishy sound of body fluids and organ parts echoing through the room.

Jacob kissed her swiftly, his lips lingering on her cheek after leaving her lips, the tip of his tongue poking the single liver spot on Bella's pale face.

"I want to ask you something," he said hesitantly as Bella retreated, giggling from his affection. "And I don't want you to freak out, alright? It's purely… hypothetical."

There was actual fear glooming in Jacob's eyes and Bella straightened herself a little.

"What is it?"

A very rarely seen blush tinted Jacob's already dark cheeks, his eyes lowering to his lap. He almost looked ashamed.

"Well, I thought about this a lot since… you know, you stayed and they left and I'm better and everything going on with you and me and… I love you. You know that. And I think we wasted a lot of time and nerves and all. But I also know what you think of this thing I'm going to ask and so… I was kind of planning not to ask you, at all. I don't want you to make a run for it, again. But, I guess… we said no secrets and no withholding and so… would you…I mean…marry me?"

They were silent for a minute, the only sound being the still rather disgusting noise of splattering brains and bleeding organs. Maybe a death scream or two.

"Say something…please," Jake whispered, finally. He hated this kind of silence. Judging. Nervous silence.

"Jake…," Bella muttered, eying him with confusion and doubt. "You're… sixteen and we've only been…like this for a few weeks."

"I know, I know, Bells. I told you this was purely hypothetical. I asked if you would marry me. Not if you will. I just… need to know where you plan to take… this," he said quietly, waving his hand between them at his last words.

Bella marvelled at the rare insecurity in Jacob's eyes, words, expression and posture. It was something she – or any other person – barely ever got to witness. As bitter as it was, as much of a proof of his humanity is was as well. And she thought it was a precious moment. Something special and intimate that he allowed her to see. It made her feel loved.

"If the time was right…maybe one day," she whispered, trying to re-focus his gaze on her.

As she spoke her quiet words, hope flashed through Jacob's dark eyes and before she knew what was happening her back was pressed into the couch, Jacob hovering above her, lips brushing deftly against each other, breaths ragged and laboured and the Eiffel Tower mutely feel onto the floor, not a single mind noticing, a white top burying it beneath it only a minute later while the zombies continued their bloody fight for world dominance and no one could hope for a man in black to rescue human kind.


End file.
